7 June – Clonard 1500 and Year of Consecrated Life

Bishop Michael Smith will celebrate an open-air Mass at the site of Ard na Relige on Sunday 7 June 2015 at 3.00pm. This ancient site marks the place where St Finnian founded his monastery in 520AD.

As Fr Tom Giloy explains, “the event celebrates the Year of Consecrated Life and the beginning of a period of preparation to mark, in 2020, the founding of the monastery. It is appropriate, even providential, that the preparatory period leading up to the 1500th anniversary begins with a particular focus on the form of religious life practiced by St Finnian and his followers. That form of consecrated remained unchanged, more or less, until the 16th century.”

The occasion takes place on the Feast of Corpus Christi. The liturgy is being arranged by the Kinnegad Parish Liturgy Team.

A pilgrim walk from Kinnegad to Clonard and Ard na Relige will form part of the day’s events. The walk is approximately 8km and it is not difficult. It will begin with a gathering at St Etchen’s National School at 12.45pm.

All priests, parishioners and especially members of communities of consecrated life are welcome to join the celebrations.